Dark Moon
by MLE1894
Summary: When Luigi finds himself roped into another one of Professor E. Gadd's paranormal adventures, he has no idea that the biggest and most frightening ordeal of his life will also be the one that shapes him the most. A novelization of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, with a little explanation and elaboration thrown in.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1- The Rummage Sale**

The early morning sun shone cheerily over the small town on the outskirts of the Mushroom Kingdom. The cobblestone streets were separated by what looked like enormous mushrooms, but what were in reality small houses. A plaza with a pond in the shape of a star served as the center of this normally quiet town. However, things were not so quiet today as many of the town's primary residents, a peculiar race known as "toads," swarmed the square. From in between the multicolored speckled caps makeshift tables could be seen, all piled high with items of various sorts. Despite the abundance of toads, other species could be seen intermixed with them, from koopas to goombas and everything in between. A banner, strung between two of the over sized mushroom houses, declared in bold letters, "RUMMAGE SALE TODAY." This event was the biggest and best of its kind, known throughout the worlds as _the_ place to find bargains and deals. Naturally, the plaza was almost filled to capacity as the famous event got under way.

Passersby jostled with other passersby in an attempt to reach items first and claim the best deals for themselves. Voices shouted to make themselves heard over the rabble as everyone haggled for the best deal. At the front of this barely-managed chaos, a blue bespectacled toad frantically ran back and forth between the three tables that formed a barrier between him and the rest of the masses. This unfortunate toad had wound up with the job of item sorting, and about every five seconds he found himself cursing the "friend" who had managed to convince him to take this job.

"OVER HERE, I'VE GOT STUFF TO SELL!"

"TIME IS MONEY, DUDE!"

"HELP! I'VE BEEN BURIED UNDER THIS MOUND OF CLOTHES!"

The blue toad gritted his teeth and masterfully took it all in stride.

"No, I cannot give you a refund or a discount."

"Sir, this is a rummage sale, not a trash dump!"

"Of course I'll take your- BY THE STAR SPIRITS, YOU CANNOT SELL BOB-OMBS HERE!"

A lucky toss by the toad landed the lit bob-omb back in the box it came from as the toad pushed it back to its owner. Grumbling, the clubba picked up its box of terror and waddled away. The toad winced as he heard a distant explosion, then sighed in relief as he took his first breather of the day. He leaned back in the folding chair he had used maybe once that day and surveyed his handiwork. The three tables which had kept the crowd at bay had been filled with unsold items earlier, but were now mostly bare as the sale drew to an end. Glancing around, the toad observed that many others were sold out and had begun to pack up for the evening. Only a few stragglers remained as they picked through the remnants of today's goods.

Yes, thought the toad as he observed the setting sun reflecting off the star-shaped pool, today had been a successful day. Leaning back farther in his chair and closing his eyes, the toad was free to begin plotting the murder of his manipulative friend when a slight cough drew his attention. Keeping his eyes shut, the toad willed it to go away so he could finally, _finally_ rest, but his silence was unfortunately met with a louder and more pointed cough. Sighing, he forced his eyes open and beheld- a stack of boxes. At least, that was what it looked like to the toad. The stack of boxes that towered a few feet over his barricade of faithful tables suddenly swayed as it began to speak.

"Excuse me, sonny, but I have a few trinkets here that I would like to sell?"

The toad blinked as his gaze traveled downwards to catch a glimpse of what looked like a tuft of white hair and an enormous pair of glasses.

Recovering quickly, the toad smiled tiredly and chirped, "Of course! Please put the boxes on the table and I'll sort through them!"

The toad thought he caught the sight of a grin as the tower of boxes shifted, dangerously close to toppling.

"Thanks, my boy! And keep the cash, too!"

Standing on tiptoe what the toad assumed was a man deposited his cargo on the tables and shuffled away. After making sure the old man was gone, the toad began to rummage through the various boxes.

"No wonder he told me to 'keep the cash,'" he muttered under his breath, "there's nothing in here but junk!"

Most of the boxes were filled with discarded papers covered in ridiculous looking blueprints, which depicted everything from a specialized coffee machine that could make seven different types of drinks to what looked like some sort of vacuum cleaner. Continuing his sorting the toad found various knickknacks and gadgets (a few of which the toad carefully set to the side for fear of turning them on), but eventually came to the last box. This one looked different from its predecessors. Instead of being in a deteriorating and dilapidated state like the other boxes, it was in much better condition and less dusty. The toad opened it up and curiously peeked inside to discover what looked like paintings. Upon closer inspection, the toad found that these were no ordinary paintings. Every subject looked somewhat- _ghostly_ and eerie. Even glancing at one of them sent chills racing up and down the poor toad's spine.

After finding a particularly creepy portrait of an infant with no legs and blue skin, the toad shuddered and began stacking the portraits next to the junk from the rest of the boxes. He stacked them as fast as he could until something gave him pause. The portrait he was reaching for- the very last one in the box- looked somewhat different from the rest. Slowly he took it out and held it in the light of the setting sun to get a better look.

Surrounded by a gilded frame was the image of a boo (a very large boo, the toad noted) with a crown on his head, mouth stretched into a smile that only boos could achieve and large blue tongue lolling out. Next to him was someone the toad recognized too well- Bowser, King of the Koopas. However, the toad surprisingly ignored Bowser and instead focused on the boo. As the toad stared at it he could not help but feel the eyes bore into him, as if the boo were watching him.

Transfixed, the toad stared at the painting and time seemed to stand still until a murmur interrupted his trance. Jerking his head up the toad came face to face with a cloaked figure. The toad let out a squeak of surprise but soon regained his composure as he surveyed his customer. The only thing the toad could see that was not covered was the face, which identified the figure as some sort of elderly male koopa. Although the eyes were covered by thick, opaque glasses, the toad instinctively felt that the figure had been watching him intensely and for quite some time.

Clearing his throat, the figure spoke again. "Are you selling these items?"

The toad blinked and nodded his head, feeling as if he had been asleep for hours. Readjusting his glasses, he managed to stutter out a price and watched as the koopa counted out the ten coins he had requested. Once the coins had been transferred, the koopa stood patiently and waited for the toad to hand him the portrait. Glancing down at the painting, then back up at the koopa, the toad could not help but feel that there was something unusual about this situation.

But as the koopa continued to wait the toad pushed his feelings aside and handed over the portrait. To the toad it seemed as if the koopa's eyes literally glinted with pleasure, but he convinced himself that this was merely the sun reflecting off of his glasses. The koopa chuckled and uttered a gravely "thank you" before slowly hobbling off into the direction of the setting sun, leaving behind the utterly confused toad to stare at his retreating form.

**Author's Note:**

I hope you liked the first chapter of what I hope is going to be a humorous, exciting, and thought-provoking game novelization. It is going to be a real challenge for me, having never attempted to write anything even remotely this long, but I am looking forward to it and I hope you all are too. The first few chapters are going to be prologue, with little to no actual scenes from the game, but I promise that I will get there eventually. I hope you enjoy!

All feedback is appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2- The Conference**

Boo Woods was by no means a pleasant or inviting place. The trees that made up the wood were completely bare, with long branches stretching into the sky, resembling skeletal hands grasping for a hold. Unlike other forests, this one was completely quiet, with not even a bird call to break the suffocating silence. A certain atmosphere hung over the entire wood, giving it a foreboding aura and leaving it in a perpetual twilight, even in the daytime.

The cloaked koopa stood at the entrance of the woods and gazed upon the shadowy landscape, surveying it critically. A slight movement dislodged the cloak from his right wrist, revealing a small watch. The handsome watch's hands were set at about fifteen till eleven. Grumbling about the lateness of the hour his "partners" (if he could even call them that) insisted upon meeting at, he stepped up to the beginning of the path that meandered through Boo Woods.

One could only follow the path visually for about five feet until the darkness of the wood obscured it. Of course, like the other qualities of Boo Woods, this path was far from normal. Although there appeared to be only one path that led through the forest, the reality was that there were multiple paths- paths that could take a traveler miles away from his or her starting point, despite having only walked a couple hundred feet. These paths could lead to many destinations -like Gusty Gulch or the site of King Boo's original favorite haunting spot- or they could lead to nowhere at all, leaving the traveler to wander forever among the dark and twisting trees. The threat of the latter alone was enough to keep most curious adventurers out of the forest for good.

This did not apply to the koopa, however, who began walking down the overgrown path with not so much as a hint of fear. The koopa skillfully navigated the forest, muttering to himself as he went.

"Left here, right at the twisted tree, straight past the turning flowers, left again…"

Soon enough, the cloaked koopa found himself in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by enormous trees and a few mossy rocks. This deep in the forest, light barely penetrated and everything was obscured in deep shadows. To most it would have looked like a dead end. But, like other haunted forests of its kind, Boo Woods contained quite a few secrets. Approaching a particularly large tree, the koopa removed a golden wand from the folds of his cloak. Pointing it at the tree, he murmured a few words in an indiscernible language. The jeweled tip of the wand began to glow faintly blue as a similar glow enveloped the tree. The tree suddenly made a cracking sound and split right down the center, the two halves moving in opposite directions. The resulting gap was easily large enough for a couple of sumo bros. to pass through, much less the hunched koopa. As the glow faded, what lay beyond the gap became obscured in darkness.

Replacing the wand inside his robes, the koopa gave a slight shudder at this, in an uncharacteristic and rarely observed moment of weakness. As much as he hated to admit it, what lay beyond this passageway even managed to dislodge his normally unshakable courage. In a conscious effort, the cloaked figure straightened himself and steadied his breathing. He would need all the confidence he could get to make it through this meeting. Another deep breath, and the koopa plodded into the darkness.

The tree closed behind him with a dull thud, leaving Boo Woods in silence and twilight once more.

* * *

The koopa stood in the darkness a few minutes after the passageway shut, letting his eyes adjust to the sudden lack of light. He did not want to be caught off guard here of all places. Slowly, he shuffled his way along, following the barely visible path as much as he could. The landscape here was almost identical to that of Boo Woods, but it still managed to give off a much more hostile vibe than the previous forest.

Relying more on feeling than sight, the koopa continued stumbling his way through the forest until he heard a sharp sound, almost like a cackle. Stopping quickly, the koopa examined the wood around him. Not observing anything but the dark trees, he hesitantly walked forward a few steps. There! A small white orb moved through the trees just ahead, seemingly mocking him before vanishing. Hearing a louder cackling now, the koopa spun in circles, trying to determine the source of the sound. As the laughter grew in volume and intensity, the koopa growled in anger and withdrew the wand from his cloak.

With the muttering of an incantation, the wand sparked with a brilliant light and illuminated the surrounding forest. Hearing an amused chuckle, the koopa quickly turned around and confronted the being that taunted him. At least 50 small white boos hovered there, hands covering their eyes and ever-present smirks upon their faces. The koopa glared at them before one of the boos chuckled once again and spoke.

"Now, now, oh cloaked one, is this any way to treat your _friends_?"

The boo drew out the last word, clearly knowing and savoring the expression it produced on the koopa's face, although it could not see him. The koopa stepped closer to the boo, holding the wand closer to its face, which caused it and the rest of the horde to pull back in fear of the light.

"We are _not_ friends," he hissed, threat clear in his voice.

Unfazed, the boo's smile simply grew wider as it replied, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Still, we are working together, no? I would say that we are… associates_,_ at the very least. And associates do not rudely shine light in other associate's faces, especially when there is 'important business' to discuss."

Here the boo mock pouted, an exaggerated frown taking the place of the exaggerated smile. Growling lowly, the koopa held the light in front of the boo's face for a few more seconds before reluctantly stowing the wand back inside the folds of his robe. As the woods returned to their unnatural darkness, the boo removed his hands from his eyes, smiling largely. The rest did the same, all eyeing the koopa with the same smile and penetrating gaze. With a wave of the first boo's arm, however, the rest of the boos turned and vanished into the forest, leaving only the koopa and the boo in the nigh-impenetrable darkness. The only light now was the faint glow caused by the single boo's body.

"There, now isn't that better?" The boo asked in a patronizing tone, floating up to the koopa's height and staring him in the eye. "I thought you might enjoy the privacy. Plus, now I can see your _boo_tiful face!"

The boo erupted in shrill laughter as the koopa stood motionless, eyeing the boo with all sorts of distaste. After a while, the boo settled back down, still chuckling slightly and wiping nonexistent tears from its eyes.

"Finished?" The koopa asked icily.

The boo smiled, long red tongue characteristic of its species lolling out.

"You're no fun, oh robed and mysterious one. What is with the unusual choice of wardrobe, anyways? You're fooling no one, servant of Bowser."

The koopa stiffened a bit at the word "servant," but quickly recovered and snorted derisively before replying.

"The residents of this area can't see the obvious logic in allowing a seasoned and respected monarch to rule them, and yet you're surprised that they can't see through a simple disguise? As for introductions, I don't believe we've had the… _pleasure_ of meeting yet."

"No, I don't believe so."

The boo smiled even more widely than the koopa thought was possible.

"Booligan's the name; don't call me a 'ruffian!'"

The boo did a few flips in the air before stopping and smiling at the koopa, obviously anticipating some sort of reaction. When none came, the boo 's smile slightly faltered.

"You know… 'Booligan'… as in 'hooligan'…"

"I get it," snapped the koopa. "Now, if you don't have any more _invigorating_ word play to share, might I suggest we get down to business?"

Booligan sighed and floated slightly closer to the ground, smile never wavering from his face.

"I suppose, if you insist. Now, what is this oh so important business you must urgently discuss with me, my dear non-friend associate?"

The koopa looked askance at him.

"_You_ are certainly not who I always speak with. Where is Boolderdash?"

The boo sunk low to the ground, a real frown overtaking his face.

"I suppose you do not know…" he murmured.

Booligan stared at the ground for a few minutes before the koopa coughed uncomfortably. The boo's head shot up, with a look of fury upon it that both surprised and frightened the koopa.

"They are still trapped," he hissed, "trapped inside that infernal laboratory by that idiotic scientist! Only a few of us managed to escape, by sheer luck when that _professor _(the boo sneered) attempted to attach that… that_ house cleaning device_ to a 'larger containment unit.' It is only luck that I am not trapped in that awful thing with the rest of my brothers, doomed to a life full of misery and experimentation!"

Booligan's shrill voice reached its peak, before the boo lowered his voice and hovered until he was only a few inches from the ground, something that managed to disturb the koopa even more than the previous hysterical tirade.

The boo's eyes glittered dangerously as he flicked his tongue over his ridiculously sharp teeth.

"If only," he breathed, "if only I could I could avenge them. Make life a living nightmare for that scientist and that cowardly buffoon. Free my friends and my King…"

The koopa, who had remained silent and shrunken during the boo's speech, found his voice once again.

"What if you could?" He asked quietly.

The boo turned to him, eyes still glittering with a ferocity that made the koopa pick his words carefully.

"What if you could restore your King, use your new found power to free your brethren, _and_ have your revenge on the professor and Luigi to boot?"

Booligan examined him, expressionless.

"What is your offer?"

A wave of the koopa's wand caused an object to form in the boo's hands. The boo stared at it, smile returning instantly as he once again gazed upon the face of his beloved King.

"But… how…?"

The koopa waved his hand dismissively.

"The professor really is an idiot."

He leaned forward, eyes gleaming behind the thick glasses.

"Now, all _you_ have to do is infiltrate the lab and use that portrificationizer machine. Then you will have your King back and, subsequently, your revenge. In fact…"

The koopa rummaged through his robes, searching for something. Finding it, he clasped it in his hands, the darkness obscuring it from the view of the boo.

"To make the job easier, I have a gift for your King. Tell him to consider it a token of our alliance."

Reaching out, the koopa gently placed it in the boo's free hand.

Booligan examined the large, purple jewel cautiously. Even just by touching it he could feel the power radiating from it.

"A power enhancing jewel." The koopa answered the boo's unspoken question. "With it, your King will have no trouble at all subduing anything, or _anyone_, that stands in his way."

Booligan examined the two items he held in his stubby arms. Then he stared at the koopa suspiciously.

"You're being awful generous for someone who clearly trusts boos as much as boos trust, well, anyone."

The koopa chuckled. "Oh, I never said there wasn't a price."

The boo's eyes widened, then narrowed with anger.

"Now, now, don't be hasty. The price is trivial. Nothing, really, compared to what you will accomplish."

Booligan allowed himself a slight smirk as he replied.

"Name it."

The koopa's eyes seemed to glitter as he leaned forward.

"All I ask," he murmured, "is that you keep my King's best interests in mind. Specifically, what keeps him _from_ his best interests."

The boo looked confused for a moment, but then smiled wide with understanding. Regaining his usual playful and cocky demeanor, Booligan's tongue rolled out as he smirked maliciously.

"Trust me, koopa, if this works out as well as you say it will, neither red nor green will be spared."

The koopa felt a small smile flit across his face for the first time since entering the star-forsaken forest.

"So, we have a deal?"

"Oh yes," cackled Booligan, grinning wide as he stared at the portrait of his King. "We have a deal, _partner_."

For once, the koopa did not feel resentful of that term. Instead, he slowly walked past the boo and activated the tree corridor again, finally finding his way back into the twilight of Boo Woods. As he started down the winding path once more, the sound of shrill laughter broke the silence of the woods and grew until it rang in his ears.

Glancing backwards, the koopa sincerely hoped he had made the right choice.

**Author's Note**

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Next up, we'll see the results of our koopa's meeting and meet an old foe once again. I hope the format was better- to me, it almost feels like too much space, but if it makes it easier to read then all the better. Thanks for all the favorites, follows, and reviews!

As always, all feedback is appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3- Of Plans and Pixelators **

His footsteps echoed in the abnormally quiet castle. The high ceilings reverberated with the sound as he walked through the passage. Stopping, he faced a pair of enormous doors, colored blood red and standing at least five times taller than he was. Stifling a yawn, the koopa pushed the doors open and stepped into the throne room. The chamber was absolutely enormous, with vaulted ceilings and multiple open-air windows. Many statues were placed about the room, all bearing the same monstrous visage. Small pools of lava lined a silk carpet the same color of the doors, which led directly to the throne. The throne itself, like the rest of the room, was gargantuan and was made entirely out of stone, with the same visage woven into its design. All together the chamber gave off a strong aura of power and the unmistakable stench of corruption. However, at this moment, there was no one seated on the throne to claim all this as their own. Instead,a figure stood off to the side, gazing at the moon that illuminated his kingdom. A few torches cast light upon both the koopa's and the figure's faces, creating strange shadows that made them look more animal-like than usual. The figure grunted, then spoke with a voice that was a mixture between a growl and murmur.

"Report, Kamek."

The koopa bowed his head, straightening the regular light blue robes he now wore.

"Your surliness, the boos have gladly accepted your gifts. We should expect the plumbers to be nonfactors in as little as three days."

The figure turned from the window to face the koopa, revealing a face which gave many a toad child nightmares. His red eyes reflected the pleasure that the sharp-toothed grin conveyed as he towered over the magikoopa.

"Good. Then we can begin planning our invasion. I will expect battle plans in the morning."

Kamek suppressed a groan as he realized exactly how late he would have to stay up tonight, but then quickly called out as the Koopa King began to stomp off to his bedchambers.

"Your malevolence! Wait!"

The koopa realized that he had just given a direct order to his King, an offense for which he could be severely punished, but frankly was too tired to care. Groaning, Bowser turned from the doors and glared at the elderly koopa.

"What is it, old man."

The koopa heard the change in tone from questioning to demanding and answered quickly.

"Sire, I am afraid I must question your judgment on this decision. As I have said before, we cannot trust the boos. We both know what their real intentions were when they freed all of those portrait ghosts last time- who is to say that this time will be any different?"

Bowser leaned against the wall, rubbing his temples gingerly as he fought off fatigue and frustration himself.

"Kamek, you worry too much. Even if that stupid boo had managed to build himself the 'army' he wanted, he still couldn't have overrun any kingdom if he tried- much less my awesome kingdom."

The koopa winced at the use of the informal language, feeling the need to chide him like he had when the King was younger. Knowing that doing so would only get his nice robe scorched, he pressed on.

"Your churlishness, even if that were true, the boos are still unreliable and inefficient. Even you managed to capture the Mario Bros. for a longer amount of time than they did, remember?"

The Koopa King's face brightened at the memory.

"Oh yeah! That was awesome! I totally rocked that Vibe power!" Then his face fell again. "Until Peach came and rescued them. Guess I can't be too mad though, because, man, she looked _good_ doing it…."

As Bowser stared up at the ceiling, lost in memory and fantasy, Kamek finally released his pent up frustrations in one long sigh. He knew that this was a fight he could not win- once the Koopa King made up his mind about anything, it was next to impossible to change it. Likewise, anything that had to do with the destruction of his worst enemy, no matter how infeasible or improbable, was always approved of by the King himself. Combine these two elements into one devious plot and you had a stubborn, volatile cocktail. And unfortunately for the magikoopa, King Boo's scheme was just the type of drink that his King found the most intoxicating. Figuring that even though the war was lost, a battle could still be won, Kamek continued, snapping Bowser out of his thoughts.

"Your enamoredness, even if we cannot revoke our alliance with the boos, might we at least delay our assault for a few days? So we can wait and see what they _truly_ have in mind?"

Bowser growled. He hated waiting. But, as he felt the waves of fatigue washing over him as the night slowly turned into morning, he found himself willing to agree to anything to get some sleep.

"Fine. We'll delay our assault by a few days, a week at most. Now, I'm going to bed."

As the Koopa King flung open the doors and stormed off to his chambers, Kamek felt a wash of relief. Good. At least he had bought himself some time now to observe and prepare for whatever King Boo was really going to do. But, for now, he was ready for some much-needed rest. As he shuffled out of the throne room, closing the doors behind him, Bowser's voice boomed down the hallway.

"Oh, and Kamek? I still want those battle plans by tomorrow morning."

Kamek groaned, leaning his head against one of the cold stone pillars.

"Yes, your importunateness."

* * *

It was raining. Of course it was raining. When _wasn't_ it raining here? Although the ghosts and boos had long since fled from the mansion, the weather still reflected what little remained of their supernatural influences. The mansion stood on its hill, weathering the storm as quietly and stoically as ever. A little ways down the hill, the same could not be said for a small shack that stood at the foot of the mansion. Every so often a burst of bright green light would be seen through the windows, illuminating the surrounding area in a strange glow for a second.

Inside the shack, a ladder led downwards to a large underground room. The room, which was not the tidiest place under normal circumstances, was an absolute wreck. Everywhere boxes and various household objects lay scattered about, mingling with pieces of bizarre-looking scientific instruments. A control panel, a computer and a few bookcases were covered in a sea of what most would classify as junk. In fact, most of it _was_ junk, but this was irrelevant to the owner of all it- to him, each piece represented a potential project, or a cherished memory. But really most of it was just stuff he had been unable to sell or burden unsuspecting friends/acquaintances/strangers with.

Rising above the flood of items was the owner himself, seated upon a swivel chair. He faced a large monitor, with another, smaller monitor near the floor off to his left. Murmuring to himself, he scribbled in a journal as he glanced up at the large monitor, which displayed something almost unrecognizable to any eye other than his. He adjusted his large glasses as he squinted at the image, which appeared to be a bunch of different colored blocks inside a cardboard box. Readjusting a single strand of wispy hair that had managed to escape his gravity-defying hairdo, he muttered as he scribbled in his notebook.

"Test Number 43- Failure. Scientific journals depixelated into irreparable pixel soup. Must conduct further tests on this perplexing problem."

Hopping off his swivel chair, the professor tottered over to the smaller monitor and, wrenching off the screen, began inspecting the internal mechanisms. At that moment a door to his right opened, scraping against the boxes full of books piled before it. A toad barely squeezed through the gap, his arms full of a variety of potted plants. Peering through the leaves, the toad was able to see just enough to make his way through the maze of boxes until he was standing right behind the kneeling man.

"Professor!" The toad called out.

Either because he didn't hear or didn't care, the man kept on fiddling with the monitor, now adjusting what looked like the face of watch connected to a can opener.

"Professor!" The toad called again, a little louder.

There was no response as the man made a few more notes in his journal.

"PROFESSOR!" The toad fairly screamed.

The man finally looked up, slightly annoyed with his assistant.

"What is it, toad? If it's about your paycheck, I told you I'll give it to you next week."

Ignoring that his employer _still_ did not know his name and that his paycheck was, in fact, overdue, the toad huffed and continued.

"Sir, I finally finished bringing up your botany collection. That's the last of the stuff from the basement!" To himself, he muttered, "Only took me three weeks to finish cleaning it out…"

The professor looked up, his snaggletooth clearly visible as he smiled wide.

"Yes! Perfect! I will try my Pixelator out on a living organism! It will be the ultimate test, to see if I can transport actual life…"

He started murmuring unintelligibly to himself as he scribbled excitedly in his notebook. The toad shifted from foot to foot, his arms starting to ache as he waited.

"Sir?" He questioned, his arm strength beginning to fail him as he struggled to hold all of the plants.

Luckily, this snapped the professor out of his thoughts.

"Ah yes! The plants! Put them down in front of this monitor, if you don't mind."

Relieved, the toad fairly dropped his botanical assortment as the professor snapped the screen back onto the monitor.

"Now, stand back, toad, and watch history in the making!"

The toad did indeed scramble back, not wanting to be on the receiving end of any of the professor's infamous inventions, as the man hauled himself up onto his chair. Reaching for what looked like a joystick, the professor pushed the large red button on top of it. A burst of bright green light emanated from the monitor, causing both the toad and the professor to shield their eyes.

"I really should remove that flashbulb, even if it does look cool," muttered the professor, blinking away the spots as he watched his latest invention at work.

The group of plants that covered the floor were slowly turning into tiny blocks, traveling into the monitor at increasingly high speeds. Now, the professor turned his attention to the larger screen, watching as the plants were reassembled at a different location miles away. His smile, however, turned into a frown as he noticed something unusual. Only half of each plant appeared to have been teleported! Swiveling around, the professor confirmed this as he observed his floor covered with the remnants of his beloved botany collection. Sighing, he noted the results in his journal.

"Test Number 44- Failure. Approximately .5% of botanical life forms successfully pixelated. Must make further adjustments to combat this new problem."

He turned his attention back to the toad, who was currently gaping at the plant carnage in horror.

"Clean up this mess, and then start loading the rest of the stuff into the van. I would like to make it to Evershade Valley by morning."

Leaving his assistant to begrudgingly pack up the mass of items, the professor hopped off his chair and walked over to a door on the far left. This door, unlike the other one, was made of solid iron and securely locked. Reaching for the key he kept in his pocket at all times, the professor unlocked the door and began slowly making his way down the long ladder. As he traveled downwards, his mind wandered to the place the plants had been (somewhat) transported- his new lab, located in Evershade Valley. He was so very excited about it. After spending quite a chunk of his life savings on it, it had become the lab he had always dreamed of- filled with the latest technology, impenetrable to any supernatural entities, and even designed in the shape of his own head. Nicknamed the "Bunker," he intended to use it only for emergency situations. Otherwise he would be spending most of his time "in the field," working in and utilizing the laboratories that could be found in many of the mansions scattered throughout Evershade Valley.

Ah, Evershade Valley. After hearing about it through the paranormal grapevine, he had been in disbelief until he actually visited the place himself. It was remarkable- the fact that the ghosts inhabiting the valley were actually friendly had no short of astounded him. He simply _had_ to do further research, and one thing led to another, and he soon found himself in possession of a prime piece of real estate right at the edge of one of the five mansions located in the valley. Moving had been a hassle, what with the sheer number of items that had to be moved to the new location, but it would all be worth it. The amount of research opportunities were innumerable, and if he could somehow find what made the ghosts so docile and harness it… His name would go down in history books as the greatest paranormal researcher ever. He would be a world-renowned expert, given every honor and award. He could see it now- "And the award for the most relevant scientific discovery _ever_ goes to Professor Elvin Gadd, for his ground-breaking work in paranormal research and ghost taming…"

The professor was so wrapped up in his acceptance speech that he missed the next rung of the ladder and fell the last few feet to the ground. Grumbling, he felt around until he found his glasses, which had fallen off and were miraculously unbroken. Putting them on, he was now able to find and flick on the lights to this underground chamber. With a buzz, the lights turned on, illuminating the single object that dominated the small space. His Ghost Portrificationizer, a marvelous work of science and engineering, sat there, a thin film of dust coating it. He walked over to it, gently brushing off some of the dust from the window of the washing-machine like part of it. This machine was his pet project, his greatest creation, his pride and joy. But there was no way to transport it to his new home, so he would be forced to leave it here. Maybe, he reasoned with himself, maybe it was for the better. After all, the machine had gotten him into a lot of trouble.

Chuckling softly, he reminisced about that fateful night when he had first met Luigi. Sure, the boy had been a coward who had trembled at the very thought of ghosts, but armed with the Poltergust 3000, Luigi had been able to overcome his fears and save his brother and, unintentionally, the world as well. It had been the most excitement the professor had had in a long time, and, although he would never admit it, it had been kind of nice to have actual human companionship for once. But that was all in the past now. Shaking his head, the professor gave the machine one last pat before turning off the lights and climbing back up the ladder.

Once on the ground floor again, the professor turned the key inside the lock of the iron door. Tugging on it to assure himself that it was securely locked, he turned and discovered that his toad assistant had worked remarkably fast. The once cluttered room was bare, all boxes and spare junk miraculously gone. All that remained were a couple of empty bookcases and a few computers. Satisfied, the professor disconnected his Pixelator and tucked it under his arm, walking towards the ladder that would lead him to the surface. He paused with one foot on the ladder, however, and turned back to look at his old laboratory for one last time. He had done a lot of great things in this place, and met a few great people. But now he was on to bigger and better things, and, although he was sad, he was ready for the new challenges that might lie before him. With a determined nod he flicked off the lights and began his final ascension.

The toad stood next to the van, shivering as the cold rain hit his skin. The professor used the term "van" loosely, for it was actually more of a jalopy, created by Gadd himself out of spare parts and in a time span of about fifteen minutes. Needless to say, it was not the most beautiful or the most well-built car ever, but it worked and that was all that mattered. Or, at least, that was all that mattered to the professor. At this moment the toad was cursing this fact as the automatic locking system was acting up _again_ and refused to let him in, leaving him to stand out in the freezing rain. The toad stood out there for a good ten minutes before the professor finally emerged from the shack, Pixelator in tow. Shielding his creation from the rain, he took the keys from the toad, muttering about how he had told him a thousand times you had to jiggle _then_ turn the key. With a pop the locks finally opened and the toad hurried inside the sheltered car. The professor followed shortly after, hauling the Pixelator up after himself. As he conducted a strange ritual of half and full key turns to start the car, he thought out loud.

"Once I get this Pixelator working, vehicles will become a thing of the past. At least two of my Pixelators will be in every home, all with the Gadd logo painted on them. Of course, I'll have to conduct a few more tests with living organisms first…"

The toad became visibly nervous at this, trembling in his seat. The professor, noticing this, chuckled reassuringly.

"Oh, not on you, my boy!" The toad relaxed, slumping in his seat, until he heard the professor's next words.

"Not yet."

With a shudder the jalopy finally started and peeled off into Boo Woods, leaving behind the darkened laboratory and the mansion for good. Unbeknownst to both man and toad, a pair of eyes had been watching them the whole time. Satisfied with what it had seen, the eyes turned and vanished back into the woods.

**Author's Note**

Sorry this is up so late- school, work, and a new Wii U all made it hard to write this week. Also, sorry for the terrible game reference. Not that _Super Princess Peach_ is the worst game ever created, but it is still pretty bad. And sorry if this chapter is a little rough. I wanted to get it posted before I once again got busy over this weekend. So basically sorry for everything. However I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

As always, all feedback is appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4- Restored Artwork**

Two sets of eyes peered out of Boo Woods at the laboratory, one set wide with excitement and the other set narrowed in a calculating stare. Although the rain fell around and through them, they paid no attention to it, their gazes never wavering from their target. Thunder shook the air around them as they waited. After a while, the wide eyes turned to the narrowed ones.

"They are gone- I am sure of it."

The narrowed eyes narrowed even further.

"I am not so sure. They may come back at any moment. We cannot risk getting caught."

"We _won't_ be caught! There's nobody here to see us!"

The wide eyes suddenly materialized a body, complete with a big grin and a long tongue. His small white body gave off a faint glow, the only light in the woods besides the occasional flash of lightning. Smirking at the shocked look in his companion's eyes, he tilted himself to the side in a booish taunt.

The narrowed eyes glared at him as it hissed a warning.

"Quit fooling around. We need to verify that they are, in fact, gone and then report back. If we are so much as glanced at it could-"

The boo huffed, crossing its stubby arms, stealing the words out of the other boo's mouth.

"'Jeopardize the entire plan.' Yes, I heard Booligan's speech too. But the point is, why are we still here? Let's go bring back the King!"

Before the other boo could retort he felt a presence behind him. Whipping around, the two boos faced Booligan himself, smirking at the exchange he had just witnessed. With a chuckle, he addressed the excited boo.

"You should listen to your elders, Boodonkulous. They are almost always correct."

The elder boo materialized himself simply to flash a victorious grin in the younger boo's direction. Boodonkulous hovered near the ground, expression like that of a punished puppy. Booligan chuckled again.

"I said _almost_ always. In this case, you are correct. The professor and his toad friend are gone, and it is time to move on to the next phase."

Boodunkulous' face lit up, unable to contain his eagerness any longer.

"But first," Booligan addressed the elder boo, "what of the containment device?"

The elder boo, who had been scowling at the ground, looked up with a thoughtful expression.

"No sign of it. He must have moved it before we started observing him. I can only guess that it's in Evershade Valley by now, probably in that fortified laboratory. The Portrificationizer, however, is still in there."

Booligan frowned. He had counted on the containment unit being left behind in another foolish move by the professor. Turns out the man did have some common sense after all. No matter. His friends would simply have to wait a little longer to taste sweet freedom once more. The rest of the plan, formulated over the years during King Boo's absence, was fool proof. Although their King was gone, the boos had been hard at work, scheming and preparing for their chance at revenge. The only piece that had kept them from implementing their plan had been taken care of by the koopa, with the jewel as an unexpected bonus. Now, it was time to turn the plans into action.

Booligan stared out of the woods at the shack, grin growing on his face as he imagined what was to come. Revenge is a dish best served cold, after all, and after many years of waiting the boos' revenge was now as cold as ice. He turned back to face the two boos, allowing his tongue to hang out in his excitement.

"And that's all we need. Go get the others. And remember to bring his majesty."

With a nod both boos disappeared, leaving Booligan in the woods by himself. With a delighted shiver he turned his attention back to the shack.

_Oh professor, what a glorious fool you are._

* * *

Booligan watched anxiously from the shadowy wood as Boodonkulous phased through the shack into the underground lab. Despite his better judgment, the young boo had pestered him into letting him be the first to scout out the lab. After what seemed like an eternity Boodonkulous finally reappeared, nodding his confirmation. Booligan let out a sigh of relief. It was time. With a slight arm wave Booligan led a pack of boos down to the shack, watching as each one phased through the door until he too phased through.

Descending through the underground tunnel, Booligan and his boos found themselves in a dark room, barren except for a few bookcases and computers. Murmurs of confusion were heard from the crowd of boos. They had never been inside the laboratory before, and upon not seeing the Portrificationizer grew fearful that they had been tricked. Booligan shushed them with a wave of his arm. He floated around the empty room, trying to remember where he had escaped from those many years ago. He remembered a small room, then an underground passage, and then… He stopped his movement.

There, hidden in the darkness, was a door. He hovered next to it, eyeing it curiously. It was made out of iron, probably securely locked to protect whatever was inside. Booligan smirked. No amount of metal or locks could keep out a boo. He phased through easily, gesturing for the rest of the group to follow. They all floated through the tunnel, following Booligan dutifully until he stopped suddenly.

He recognized this room. This is where he and his brethren had been taken, and where he had eventually escaped from. He gazed upon the Ghost Portrificationizer, feeling something akin to rage bubble up inside him. The nerve of that professor and his cowardly friend. How dare he imprison his friends and his King? They both would pay dearly. The time for vengeance was drawing closer. How they would _pay_-

Booligan snapped himself out of his thoughts, pushing aside his emotions. He was here because he had a job to do, not to stew in his own anger. After the defeat and capture of King Boo, Booligan had stepped up as the leader. He had been close to the King, and in the absence of the older boos who had also been captured, he commanded respect just by seniority alone. Beneath his sarcastic and silly exterior lay a cold, calculating leader who knew how to hold a grudge. He would do anything to right the wrongs against him, and the other boos knew it. It was his determination that got them to this moment, and it was through his leadership that their King would finally be restored.

Booligan exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of this moment. He again gazed upon the Portrificationizer, this time in a critical manner. It appeared to be in working order. A little dusty, perhaps, but it would fulfill its duties. He gestured to one of the boos he had brought specifically for this task. ParaBoola floated up, already examining the machine with the analytical nature of a scientist. Booligan watched him meander around the machine, inspecting each one of its parts thoroughly. Eventually he stopped and faced Booligan, a small smile on his face.

"Well?" Questioned Booligan, his patience taxed.

"It is a fascinating machine. A true wonder, to be sure. The parts are so intricate, yet they work together so flawlessly-"

Booligan cut him off.

"We are not here," he stated icily, "to _marvel_ at the professor's invention. Will it work or not?"

ParaBoola, a little irked, nodded slightly and fell back into the group of boos. Booligan smiled wide at the group, showing his sharp teeth and long tongue in his excitement. It was contagious, instantly causing the other boos to jabber and hover around in the shared feeling of anticipation. Two boos came forth from the pack, carefully balancing a portrait in between them. Booligan smiled even wider at the sight of his King and nodded, gesturing for them to set it on a small metal platform at the end of the machine. A set of mechanical arms came out of the platform automatically, gripping the painting tightly. Booligan glanced at ParaBoola, who nodded and activated the Portrificationizer.

The sounds of the machine were drowned out by the excited chatter of the boos, but Booligan was close enough to hear the pained shrieks of his King as he was pressed, electrocuted, smashed, and then unceremoniously dumped into a basin of swirling water. Booligan watched through the dusty window, almost feeling his King's pain as his own as he was sent spinning in the watery vortex. Finally it appeared that the machine was done, and a pipe connected to the top of the water container, sucking up and depositing the boo into a metal box.

Now the room became deathly silent as all of the boos crowded around the box, waiting for something to happen. Booligan hovered closest to the box, nervous excitement coursing through him. Minutes passed, however, and Booligan began to have his doubts. Had something gone wrong? Was the machine too old? What if the professor had somehow sabotaged the machine, knowing that the boos might try something like this? What if-

Suddenly the metal box exploded. Booligan and the rest of the boos quickly turned transparent, allowing the wreckage to pass through them and embed itself into the earthen walls of the room. Booligan rematerialized quickly, anxious to finally see the fruits of his labor. Hovering above the wreckage with a smug smile on his face was his King, his large white body illuminating the space around him. He surveyed his surroundings with a look of disdain until his eyes came to rest upon his loyal subjects. Booligan and the rest of the group remained silent, waiting for their King to speak. King Boo met eyes with each boo, examining them almost critically. Finally, with an unparalleled smile and long blue tongue lolling out, the King of the Boos spoke.

"Miss me?"

Booligan smirked as the room erupted in cheers and shrieks. King Boo was fairly swarmed as each boo felt obligated to float before the King and greet him. Booligan stayed back, watching as the happiness unfolded and waiting patiently. Finally, the chaos died down and King Boo floated around aimlessly, enjoying his new freedom. His eyes met with Booligan's, however, and the King's smile grew wider.

"Booligan!" Exclaimed the King, floating over to him. "An old face at last. What has happened in my absence?"

Booligan smiled wide, filled with delight at the fact that he was finally having this conversation. As he related all that happened, however, King Boo's smile faded. The sounds of the other boos diminished as they sensed this change of mood in their King. Once Booligan got around to telling him of how the professor had taken the boo canister with him to Evershade Valley, the King's smile had disappeared completely. He gestured for Booligan to stop as he turned around, gazing at the Portrificationizer in deep thought. After a while he turned back around, staring Booligan straight in the eye.

"So that is why we are missing so many. They are still imprisoned in that _thing_, which is now inside an impenetrable fortress in Evershade Valley, which is under the control of that man and an army of 'friendly' ghosts. Tell me, Booligan, is there any good news?"

Booligan, who had grown somber at this himself, looked up with hope on this face.

"There is sire. In your absence I and a few others have been preparing for your return. We have formulated a plan that will give you not only the vengeance we all seek, but also the vast kingdom you have always wanted."

King Boo examined his servant shrewdly, nodding slowly with approval. Booligan took a deep breath, knowing that his King would not like the next part of what he had to say.

"We did have to make a few… _adjustments_ to our plan, however. We could not locate your painting on our own, sire. It was through the koopas that you were finally restored to us. But they know nothing of our true intentions, I assure you."

King Boo exhaled slowly, absorbing the new information. He would like to think that this was a non issue, but he knew the Koopa Kingdom too well. Specifically, he knew Kamek too well. The old magikoopa was anything but ignorant, and as long as he had an inkling of what the boos were up to he would find a way to make sure his kingdom was protected. As he opened his mouth to tell Booligan that his years of planning were all for naught, he cut himself off. Something felt… strange in the air. He floated forwards a bit, interrupting Booligan as he rambled on about his plan and the past.

"Booligan," he said slowly, "didn't you mention that the koopa also gave you something else?"

Booligan nodded eagerly. "Yes your majesty. I was just saying how the jewel fits perfectly into our plan as well-"

King Boo cut him off again.

"Show it to me."

Confused at his King's change in attitude from dismissive to intensely serious, Booligan materialized the gem from whatever void he had stowed it in. The jewel glowed faintly as he held it in his arms and offered it to his King.

As soon as he laid eyes on it King Boo knew that Kamek had made a grievous, grievous error. The jewel pulsed with the energy that filled it, and as soon as he touched it he felt a surge of power like he had never felt before. He held it gently in his arms, staring at intensely. With this, he realized, all of the carefully laid plans could be made possible. He could take over as many kingdoms as he liked. He could even create new dimensions with new kingdoms if he ran out of things to conquer here. He did not need a Portrificationizer with this jewel in his possession. He could simply _will_ his enemies into the canvas and they would not stand a chance. With this jewel, entire worlds would kneel before him. And no one, not scientist nor man nor koopa, could stand in his way.

But, he realized as he inhaled deeply, savoring the new power that coursed through him, that all would come in time. Right now, he had a score to settle. He had failed his subjects once, a memory which would likely haunt him for the rest of his existence, and he would not fail them again. The time for retribution had come, and let The Overthere help the poor mortals that he now targeted. They had dared to defy him once- they would not be given the chance to make the same mistake again.

Booligan floated back a little as he watched his King literally transform before his eyes. The King's body glowed purple as he absorbed power from the jewel, closing his eyes in ecstasy as he felt himself growing larger. He now towered over the average boo, causing the group of boos to move back in surprise. Booligan watched as he opened his eyes, which were now the same light shade of purple as the gem. The King seemed to radiate an aura of darkness, dimming and absorbing what little light the boos themselves put off. As Booligan stared into the dark pools that were now his King's eyes, he felt, for the first time in his existence, _afraid_ of him. King Boo chuckled as he noticed the change in the atmosphere around him, the timbre of his voice lowered by a good octave by the new power that flowed through him.

"What, Booligan, afraid of the dark?" He mocked, watching approvingly as he saw the fear creep into his once right-hand man's eyes.

"Come- we have plans to discuss. But first," he turned and addressed the silent boos, who shrank back at his approach, "I understand we have a deal to make good on with our koopa allies, yes? And we boos _always_ keep our word."

With a single thought he materialized a golden, glittering base for the jewel to sit on. Placing the gem inside the base, his subjects watched as King Boo crowned himself with the jewel, mouth hanging open in a malevolent smile. With another chuckle, King Boo moved forward towards the Portrificationizer, his boos scrambling to get out of the way. He approached it, looking down at it in a way that was oddly filled with equal amounts of loathing and fondness. He realized that, after today, nothing would ever be the same again. Never again would he be threatened by this machine, and that realization was enough to get him reminiscing fondly about the past. It was time to usher in a new age- an age completely controlled by him.

A burst of darkness suddenly emitted from his crown, engulfing the entire machine in deep lavender flames. As the boos watched the machine melt before their eyes, King Boo turned and floated out of the room, gesturing for Booligan and the others to follow. As he floated into the cool night air, feeling the unrestricted freedom of a world with painted walls for the first time in years, he addressed his silent underling.

"Ready my subjects, Booligan. We must pay a visit to our dear old friends Mario and Luigi."

**Author's Note**

I am so glad that I won't have to spell "Portrificationizer" again throughout the rest of this story.

As always, all feedback is appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5- A Hero Falls…**

*Note- I based this house off of the one in _Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga._ Hopefully this will make it easier to visualize.*

A lone figure walked down the deserted streets of Toad Town. Glancing up at the sky, the figure noticed why the normally lively streets were so quiet tonight- dark clouds rolled across the sky, obscuring the stars and the moon. Not wanting to be caught in the impending storm, the figure tightened his grip on the large red toolbox he carried and increased his pace. Ducking into one of the many back alleys that ran through Toad Town, the figure expertly navigated the narrow streets until he came to a dead end. Sitting in the center of the alleyway was a nondescript pipe, looking like one of many that could be found throughout this world. And that was precisely why it was here, hidden in the shadows away from any prying eyes. Known only to a select few, it served its purpose as a way of quick transportation but, more importantly, it kept its destination a secret. The figure, however, leapt into the pipe without hesitation and soon found himself experiencing the strange nonexistent state that was warp travel. But, after traveling by pipe so many times, he was used to it and jumped out of the resulting destination pipe without giving it a second thought.

He now stood in front of a small house, two stories at the most, in the middle of a well manicured lawn. He hurried across the front yard, ignoring the cobblestone pathway and ducking underneath a clothesline in the process. Flinging open the front door, he stepped inside just as the sky opened up in a torrential downpour.

Sighing in relief, the figure swung the door shut behind him and threw his toolbox carelessly on the red couch that dominated the living room. Whistling cheerfully, he walked over to a small kitchen area on the left, flicking on the lights as he did so. Fully illuminated, it was clear that the house, although not large, was bigger than it looked on the outside. The living room had the couch and a green chair occupying it, with a set of stairs that led presumably to a bedroom off to the side. Aside from the kitchen, a workroom and a bathroom made up the rest of the house. Taking off his white gloves, the figure felt his gaze fall on the green chair as he washed his hands.

His brother had been acting more and more distant lately, choosing to stay at the little cottage he had near Boo Woods rather than at their shared home here in Toad Town. He wasn't quite sure what triggered these mood swings, or why- he thought their last mission to rescue Princess Peach and her castle from Bowser had gone relatively well- but he had learned not to question it throughout the years. After they had learned that they were stuck in the dimension known by the natives as the "Mushroom World," he had adapted fairly quickly, while his brother had taken it particularly hard. He had soon found out that Luigi needed space when dealing with these types of things, and had learned to keep his distance. Any attempts to convince his brother otherwise always failed, anyways.

He was wondering what Luigi was doing right now when the lights went off. The whistle slowly died on his lips. _Strange. _They almost never had any power outages here. _Must be a really bad storm_. He fumbled around in the dark, shutting off the water and drying his hands with a nearby towel. Putting on his gloves again, he stumbled his way across to the workroom area. Opening one of the many tool benches, he felt around until he found what he was looking for. Pulling out a flashlight, he clicked it on. And off. And on again. Dead. Grumbling in annoyance, he opened another drawer of the toolbox and began rummaging around for batteries when he froze.

He felt someone- or something- watching him. He whirled around, raising the flashlight to fend off whatever it was. Nothing was there. He strained his eyes, striving to see farther into the blackness. Still nothing, but the feeling was not gone. Slowly, he began inching to the left, towards the stairs in the living room. On the second floor, in a dresser in between his bed and his brother's, there was a box of power-ups they kept for emergencies. In this box, among other things, was a starman. Starmen were gifts from the Star Spirits themselves, rare items that could temporarily make the user impervious to any sort of harm. And if what he thought was happening right now was in fact happening, he was going to need a lot more than a flashlight to get out of it.

Quickly he ducked behind the couch, heart pounding. To get to the dresser, he would have to run across the living room and up the stairs, no easy feat. He took a deep breath, laying out a plan in his mind. _And… now_. He sprinted across the room, leaping over the couch easily with superhuman skill and grace. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something white materialize and speed towards him. He ducked and kept running, feeling the thing slightly dislodge his cap as it barely missed him. Leaping up the stairs, he could now clearly hear the eerie laughter that pursued him over the roar of the storm. He burst open the door to the bedroom, relieved to find nothing waiting for him. Jumping over the bed closest to him, he finally stood in front of the dresser. He flung open the top drawer and was rewarded with… nothing.

He stood there, staring with disbelief at an empty drawer. Behind him he heard a long, low chuckle, and turned around to find his box safely in the arms of King Boo. The King eyed him, smiling widely so that all of his dangerously sharp teeth could be seen. He looked over the box in his arms, pretending to study it curiously. He then turned his attention back to the figure, leering at him like a cat toying with a mouse.

"Looking for something, are we?"

In one fluid motion the figure leapt back over the bed, landing in the stairwell. If he could just make it to the front door... He flew down the stairs, two at a time. _Just a few more steps_…

A boo materialized right in front of the door, grinning at him smugly. He backpedaled, turning 180 degrees to find another boo smiling at him. He watched in despair as more boos appeared, forming a circle around him. He was trapped. A shrill laugh drew his attention. King Boo floated leisurely down the steps, smirking down proudly at his prisoner. Upon seeing the look of anger on the figure's face, his smile grew wider.

"Why Mario, you don't seem happy to see me." King Boo tutted. "You should feel honored. After all these years, you are the first person I choose to visit. I don't do this for just anybody you know."

Mario clenched his fists, searching the circle of boos around him for any sign of an opening. King Boo chuckled at this, floating into the circle.

"You're not getting out of this one, Mario. Might as well accept it. We have a bit of… catching up to do."

Through gritted teeth, Mario spat out his words.

"King Boo. I didn't realize that art exhibitions came to your house these days."

King Boo laughed loudly at this, a look of unconcealed delight playing over his ghostly features.

"You haven't changed a bit. Although I do think you will find yourself enjoying the pleasures of being in an 'art exhibition,' as you so nicely put it, sooner rather than later. And it's rather hard to be as witty as you are when trapped in between a canvas and a frame."

Mario winced inwardly, imagining what the King had in store for him. Being a painting, not to mention the process (and pain) of being portrificationized, was not fun the first time, and he certainly wasn't looking forward to a second. Nevertheless, he was not worried. Smirking himself, he looked the smiling King in the eye.

"You won't win. Luigi will defeat you again, and you'll find yourself right back where you started- in the poltergust, waiting to be turned into a painting."

King Boo smiled even wider at the mention of his nemesis, moving closer to Mario's face and causing him to take a few steps back. Behind him the boos hissed, reminding him that there was no way out.

"Ah yes, Luigi. I… wouldn't count on him this time."

Mario's eyes widened. Luigi had left for his other house only yesterday. He hadn't heard from him since. But that wasn't unusual considering the mood he had been in. Surely, his silence didn't mean that…? He shook his head forcefully, trying to remove the thoughts. No, Luigi was alive and well- he had to believe that, especially now. He glared up at King Boo, dropping into a fighting stance as he did so.

"If you harm a hair on his head, I swear you'll pay for it."

King Boo looked at him in amusement. Any other time, and this would have been fairly frightening- Mario was looking at him with the threat of violence clearly written in his gaze, and the King knew he could back it up. But this time, it was he who held all the cards, and they both knew it. He let out a pleased sigh, his long blue tongue rolling out in his relaxation.

"Don't worry. I haven't hurt your little brother- yet."

Mario instantly relaxed, relief washing over him to replace the anxiety that had plagued him moments ago. But seeing the way King Boo was looking at him made him instantly tense up again.

"In fact," the King drawled, examining him closely, "I was hoping to find him here."

He came closer to the plumber, within a few inches of their faces touching. Mario attempted to back up, but on finding the boos in way, was forced to face him. The King's eyes bored into him, the unnatural purple meeting his sapphire blue.

"You wouldn't be able to tell me where he is, would you?" He whispered, a threat tingeing his voice.

Mario stared back, pushing his fear to the side as his determination took over.

"No. And you'll never find him."

King Boo floated back up, smug smile replaced in an instant. He hadn't expected the intimidation tactic to work, but it had been very satisfying to see a hint of fear in the normally fearless hero's eyes, if only for a second. He turned around, signaling to the boos behind him as he floated back nonchalantly.

"What a shame. Had you given a different answer, I might not have been forced to do this."

Mario heard a stir behind him and glanced back to see a group of boos approaching with what looked like a blank canvas surrounded by an elaborate frame. He raised an eyebrow. What were they planning on doing with that? He watched cautiously as they set it down a few feet behind him. He then turned his attention back to King Boo, who was watching with approval and barely contained excitement. Mario watched in fascination as King Boo's crown suddenly began to glow, dark purple bolts of energy flicking from it randomly. The King of the Boos sneered down at the plumber, floating higher as the he felt the energy build up inside him.

"Who am I kidding- I've been waiting to do this for 12 years."

With one last ghastly laugh, he released the energy in one burst. Mario was surrounded by the dark glow, lifted off his feet, and flung into the canvas, all before he could even cry out. All that remained were a few left over energy fragments, which slowly settled to the ground, sparkling next to the new portrait. King Boo floated merrily over to his new art, eyeing it appraisingly. Imprinted on the canvas was Mario, immobile and speechless. Noticing the pained and concerned expression on his new painting's face, King Boo chuckled.

"Worried for his brother, even when he's imprisoned himself. I do so love it when art manages to capture emotion. Quite literally, in this case."

With another wave of his arm, a pair of boos appeared, carrying a burlap sack between them. With a bit of effort they were able to haul Mario's portrait into the bag, but unfortunately for him, it was now upside down. King Boo found this hilarious and sent the boos on their way.

"Take him to Evershade Valley," he said, still trying to suppress laughter, "and make sure not to drop him. I want my paintings in prime condition. They're worth more that way."

* * *

Had anyone been standing in the front yard of the Mario Brothers' house, they would have been terrified to see the multitude of boos that suddenly vacated it. Shrill screams and laughter filled the air alongside the booms of thunder as the boos floated through the air towards Evershade Valley, with King Boo leading the way. Looking down at the darkened house, he smiled wide. Revenge was indeed so very sweet. His happy train of thought, however, was suddenly derailed by a cough. Annoyed, he stared down at the boo who had dared to interrupt his victory gloating. He recognized him as PeekaBoo, one of the few older boos who had managed to escape from the boo containment unit.

"Speak, PeekaBoo," he grumbled, turning his attention to the night sky.

PeekaBoo looked up at him cautiously.

"Your majesty, if I may be so bold, I was just wondering- what about the other one? Aren't we going to find and capture him, too?"

King Boo glanced down at him. It was clear that the boo was nervous. He was one of the few who knew what had actually happened at the mansion, and knew what Luigi was capable of. Well, it was time to lay those fears to rest.

"He's not worth our time. With this jewel and an army of ghosts under my control, that pathetic loser won't be able to make it past the front door. No amount of scientific know-how can save him this time."

Although it was clear that the boo was not entirely convinced, he fell back into the group. King Boo ignored him, focusing on what was to come. Soon they would see. No coward and his house-cleaning device could stop him now.

**Author's Note**

I have exciting news. This is the last chapter of prologue! Next chapter there will be actual scenes from the game and we'll _finally_ meet our protagonist... Sorry it took five chapters! However, this does mean that time between updates may become a little lengthier, because now I have to transcribe dialogue and et cetera.

Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

As always, all feedback is appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- … And a Hero Rises**

Near Boo Woods, the wind howled and stirred the late night air around a small green cottage. Inside the house, a kitchen was bathed in the light of a full moon as one tall figure puttered around, humming softly to himself as he put away his cooking supplies. He cleared away a bowl and spatula, cheerfully licking some of the left over cookie dough from it as he carried it to a sink. Turning back to the counter, he heaved a large bag of flour into his arms and began lugging it to a pantry off to the side.

As he was struggling with the bag, the shutters on the window closest to him suddenly blew closed with a bang. He yelped and dropped the flour, which promptly opened and sent a cloud of dust up, enveloping his face in white. Grumbling slightly, he stowed the flour in its proper place and headed over to the bathroom across the hall to clean up.

He now stood in front of a mirror, eyeing the mess on his face with annoyance. Sighing, he took off his gloves and his now more-white-than-green cap as he turned on the sink below the mirror. He dampened a washcloth and began to rub at the flour, watching as it easily came off and turned into paste. Satisfied, a pair of light blue eyes stared back at him, set off by the dark mustache. As he stared into his own eyes, Luigi sighed sadly and ran a hand through his hair, leaning on the sink as he examined the cerulean irises thoughtfully.

Why was he always so afraid of everything? He could tell himself as many times as he liked that it was just the wind, but he would always still jump anytime he heard so much as a creak on the floorboards above him. No wonder he had a reputation as a spineless coward. He couldn't even make cookies without something scaring him! Fed up with himself, Luigi turned his attention to his cap, which was still caked it flour. He would have to hand-wash it. Mario always insisted on just throwing the hats into the washing machine with the rest of their clothes, but he liked to treat his with a little more care.

Mario. He let his thoughts drift back to his brother and Toad Town. He really should have written by now, if just to let his brother know that he had arrived at his house safe and sound. But frankly, he hadn't felt like it. It wasn't that he was mad at Mario. Far from it, in fact. He had genuinely had fun on their last adventure, and had even gone so far as to save the princess on his own. He wasn't just the little brother of the Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom anymore. People were beginning to give him more respect and attention, even if it was just by remembering his name. Everything seemed to be looking up for him.

So then, he wondered, gazing at the dusty "L" on his hat, why did he still feel so worthless?

He supposed it was because as much as he tried, he knew he could never be the hero his brother was. He could save the princess thousands of times, but it wouldn't make him any less cowardly. He could defeat any villain, but he would still be the laughing stock of Toad Town. Mario and Luigi. The Mario Brothers. He lived in his brother's shadow. It was how it always had been, and it was probably how it always would be.

With a sigh, he picked up his cap and gloves and carried them to the kitchen sink. Sometimes, he missed when he and Mario had simply been plumbers living in Brooklyn. It had just been the two of them living in a run-down apartment in the middle of the city. It hadn't been a great life, but then again he hadn't had to risk life and limb nearly every other month to save the princess of a land full of mushrooms. But, he thought as he washed his hat, it wasn't like he had the choice to go back anyways. The warp pipe they had found in the sewers of New York had disappeared as quickly as they had found it, leaving them stranded in this bizarre world. Here, he and Mario had grown further apart as his brother went on increasingly dangerous missions, leaving Luigi behind to "protect the home front." It was a ridiculous excuse that Luigi had seen right through from the very beginning. Mario, being a typical older brother, was trying to keep his younger sibling safe by keeping him at home all of the time. Luigi had been okay with this at first, as he had had no desire to risk his life for a girl he barely knew, but as time went on he realized that he wanted a little recognition too. He had then set out on his own personal mission to prove to his brother that he could handle the dangers of being a hero. And he had thought it had worked. Especially after that one incident…

Luigi shuddered as the memories of the mansion came flooding back. If any good thing could be said out of that whole ordeal, it was that Mario had trusted him infinitely more afterwards. He had started going on more adventures, bolstered by his brother's trust and his own new found confidence. But honestly, looking back, nothing had really changed much. He was still the forgotten little brother- a fact that would rear its ugly head into his consciousness every once in a while, causing him to seek out solitude in places like his little cottage. After all, it wasn't like he was needed back home.

Luigi suddenly looked down to discover that he had been scrubbing his cap way too hard. The flour was now ground into the fabric, making unattractive white spots on the lime green. He groaned, knowing that he was going to have to use some sort of stain remover to get it out now. The oven next to him dinged softly, signaling that the cookies were done. He glanced at the cap and decided to put it aside for now. Putting on a pair of oven mitts, he carefully slid the pan out of the oven and placed it on the counter. Maybe a glass of milk, a few chocolate chip cookies, and some mind-numbing TV was all he needed to break himself out of this depressed state.

Grabbing the spare hat he kept on a coat rack in the hallway and his gloves, he poured the milk into a glass, scooped a couple of cookies onto a plate, and walked through an archway to a cozy living room. His favorite chair, a gift from Mario, stood in front of a small TV set. Behind the chair a fire crackled softly in a large stone fireplace, giving off a peaceful glow. With a contented sigh Luigi settled down into his chair, popping a cookie into his mouth as he rested the milk and plate on a side table. As he savored the richness of the melted chocolate chips he picked up the remote and flipped on the TV. Some sort of toad talk show was on, which definitely fit the mind-numbing criteria. He leaned back in his chair, feeling his eyes grow heavy as the warmth of the fire, the sweetness of the cookie, and the mindless chatter of the toads drowned out everything else. He yawned. Maybe he would rest his eyes for just a few minutes…

* * *

King Boo looked out on the landscape of Evershade Valley thoughtfully. From the high altitude he hovered at all of the valley could be seen, from the snow-white peaks near the Secret Mine to the desert that surrounded the Old Clockworks. It all looked so peaceful. King Boo sneered down at the picturesque scene, imagining the chaos that would soon envelop the valley. He turned his attention to the reason why he was here in the first place, the key to the first phase of the boos' plan for revenge. Above him the Dark Moon glowed faintly in the night sky, bathing all of Evershade Valley in its ethereal light. This mystical object was the only thing in this land that kept the resident ghosts from resorting back to their malevolent states.

And now, King Boo thought as a wide grin creased his face, it was going to be destroyed. He charged up his crown jewel as he focused on the Dark Moon, the excitement building inside him along with the dark energy. Then in a single burst an energy bolt shot out from the jewel, encasing the moon in its bright glow. King Boo watched happily as the Dark Moon visibly shuddered and then exploded in a blinding white light. Fragments of the moon shot out and rained down from the heavens out onto Evershade Valley. From his lofty position King Boo could already see his subjects emerging from their hiding places and quickly hovering over to the landing sites of the pieces. With a satisfied smirk King Boo called upon his jewel again as he opened a portal to the newly formed dimension that would serve as the base of operations during his plan for world domination.

As he disappeared into the portal, he could now faintly hear the wild screams and laughter emanating from the mansions all over the valley. His smile grew wider. Now the fun could _really_ begin.

**Author's Note**

Short chapter, I know. I had to break it into two parts because it was getting pretty lengthy. Rest assured the next chapter will be up shortly.

Thank you all for your continued support! A special thanks goes out to the guest reviewers, who I unfortunately cannot personally respond to. Just know that your comments are read and valued!

As always, all feedback is appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7- When It Rains**

It was a rare night in Evershade Valley when the sky was clear and not covered in the storm clouds typical of the region. Gadd noted this as one of those nights as he sat in a darkened laboratory, tinkering with one of the inner mechanisms of his latest invention. This laboratory was located in the mansion known only as the Gloomy Manor, one of five such abandoned mansions that could be found throughout Evershade Valley. It was also the mansion that was closest to his newly built and furnished Bunker, and as such it was his laboratory of choice.

Despite only having lived in Evershade Valley for a grand total of two days, the professor had managed to complete an astonishing amount of work in that short amount of time. He had managed to practically perfect his Pixelator (give or take a few misplaced pixels here and there), sent a couple of his toad assistants to scout out the other four mansions, and had begun recording some of the most detailed and in-depth research ever conducted on incorporeal figures. These achievements, which would have been almost impossible for any regular person to attain in such a short time period, summed up to just another ordinary couple of days in the professor's eyes.

Now he was contently mulling over his new project, carefully fine tuning its gears. Unbeknownst to him, in the darkness behind him lurked a greenie, one of the few ghosts native to Evershade Valley. True to its name, its semi-transparent body was completely green in color. It floated up beside the professor silently, mischief gleaming in its narrowed eyes. Feeling a presence behind him, Gadd turned around quickly. The greenie's expression suddenly changed, the slightly menacing gaze turning into a smile as it laughed at its failed attempt to scare him. Gadd chuckled and waved to it before turning back to his work, shaking his head in amusement. The laboratory behind him was now illuminated with the glow of many greeenies as they floated around the room, playing, reading, sweeping- basically having fun and helping a little on the side.

In fact, these ghosts were partially the reason why the professor had gotten so much work done recently. They had proved immensely helpful as laboratory assistants and were willing to participate in any kind of experiment. The professor had developed an amicable relationship with them that seemed strange to consider, but was actually quite natural to him in a weird sort of way. The ghostly residents of Evershade Valley had become not only the professor's research subjects, but also his new-found friends.

It was shaping up to be another normal night inside of the mansion until an explosion was heard in the distance, followed by a few dull thuds. The professor barely lifted his head in acknowledgement of this, but the ghosts behind him suddenly froze in place simultaneously. Curiously, the dark pupils in the center of their eyes shrank down to nothing, leaving behind only the blank white of the sclera. Then, all chaos broke lose as the ghosts suddenly turned violent and destructive, wrecking the laboratory in the process. Books were torn, test tubes and beakers were smashed, and various objects were flung about as Gadd watched in horror as his playful assistants turned into viable threats.

The professor ducked as a bottle flew by his head, narrowly missing him and smashing into the wall. He quickly deduced that it was unsafe to remain in his current position and formulated an escape plan. Practically falling off of his tall stool, Gadd made a wild dash for the door that exited his makeshift laboratory. The greenies clamored angrily behind him as he made the short sprint from the lab to the foyer. Luckily for him, no other ghosts had yet to infiltrate the mansion and the greenies were still occupying themselves in the lab. Panting, the professor darted through the darkened foyer, underneath the flickering lights of a dusty chandelier and past two suits of armor. The helmets of the armor twisted slowly to follow his labored movements as he pushed open the front door of the mansion.

Outside, the clear night had become shrouded in a dense purple fog that settled over the landscape like a damp blanket. Gadd stumbled out onto the front porch of the mansion, shutting the door behind him and then leaning against it, gasping for breath. Although he was certainly spryer than the average fellow his age would be, he was not immune to the taxing effects old age had on the body. And right now, the professor clearly felt fatigue setting in as he practically doubled over on the porch.

"I'm getting… too old for… this tomfoolery…," he wheezed, an unsettling realization sinking in.

He knew that this problem, whatever it would turn out to be, was definitely too large and too energy-absorbing for him to tackle on his own, scientific genius or not. He was going to need some serious help if he wanted to return things to normal, and soon. But for now, as he finally began to recover and breathe a little easier, he had a more pressing issue to address. Straightening himself, Gadd squinted behind his glasses as he peered into the thick fog that surrounded him. He needed to get to his Bunker as quickly as possible, and judging by the raucous sounds of the greenies inside the mansion, he didn't have much time left. However, not being able to see his hand in front of his face made what was normally a short walk look like a mile-long maze with no he had to make the decision to either stay here on the porch and risk the ghosts, or make a hazardous run for his specter-resistant fortress. The professor was running all of the worst-case scenarios through his mind, ranging from simply getting lost to somehow being slowly devoured by sand beetles, when the front door to the mansion burst open and released a torrent of ghosts.

The professor quickly had his mind made up for him as he worked to dodge the greenies, running blindly down the porch steps, across the front yard, and out through the squealing front gate. With little regard to direction or his own safety, the professor sprinted willy-nilly across the lavender plain, a sight that would have been comical had the man not been running for his life. The sounds of the greenies echoed faintly over the plain and the professor doubled his pace, feeling the presence of pursuers that may or may not have been only works of his imagination. Just then, however, a rock appeared right in the center of his path.

Too late to dodge it, the professor tripped and fell head over heels, rolling slightly until he came to a stop. Confident that this was the end of his existence, Gadd lay still, save for his quickened breaths, and waited. Five minutes passed by before he realized that he was not dead and, hopefully, would not be anytime soon. Cautiously raising his head, the professor scrambled into a sitting position and surveyed the fog around him. No greenie or other supernatural entity had appeared yet, so it appeared that he was safe for the time being. He began to rise and return to his frantic run when a glimmer caught his eye.

Wedged into the grassy ground was the "rock" that he had stumbled over. Walking closer, the professor observed that the glimmer he had seen was in fact not a reflection of light, but a spark of energy that coursed over the entire surface of the object. The dirt surrounding it looked freshly upturned, as if the object had recently crashed there. Gadd examined it shrewdly, wondering if the energy surrounding it was dangerous. Eventually, however, scientific curiosity got the better of him and he kneeled down and grasped the object. Grunting, he managed to pull it out of the ground with some effort. He now held an object that was significantly larger than the palm of his hand and crystal-like in structure. Clearly, it was no ordinary rock. The faint glow it cast over the dense fog around him was enough to tell him that much. As he gazed further into the beautiful depths of the crystal, he was hit with a bizarre feeling of déjà vu. Somewhere, somehow, he had seen this thing before- but for the life of him he couldn't remember where or when. Intrigued, he resolved to tote his new find back to the Bunker and examine it further there.

If he could find his Bunker. Gadd realized he was completely disoriented after his tumble and had no idea where he was, let alone which direction he should walk in. With a sigh he resettled back on the ground to see if he could perhaps wait out the fog. After all, regular fog normally disappeared with enough sunlight.

With another, deeper sigh, the professor remembered that it was called _Evershade_ Valley for a reason and prepared to spend some time sitting alone in the deep, dark mist. He ruminated on his current predicament. At least the ghosts weren't chasing him anymore, so he had one less thing to worry about. Plus, he had his splendid crystal. The professor turned his attention back to the object he held in his hands, holding it up in an attempt to get a better look at it. If only he could get it back to the Bunker-

Suddenly the fog above his head disappeared. The professor blinked, looking up at the top of a tree he didn't know existed until now. Slowly, he lowered the crystal back onto his lap. The fog rolled back in, obscuring the tree once more. He repeated this a few more times, watching as the fog disappeared and reappeared as he moved the crystal towards and away from it.

"Fascinating," he murmured, reexamining the crystal with renewed interest. Although the area of fog it cleared was small, a few feet at the most, it was enough to make a noticeable difference in visibility. And, he realized with growing excitement, it would be enough to help him find his way back to the Bunker. He sprang to his feet, holding the object out in front of him like a lantern in the darkness. The fog shrank back at his approach, revealing a few feet of ground that would soon be obscured again if he faced the crystal in another direction. He began slowly and tediously making his way across the plain, walking in multiple different directions as he hunted for any sort of familiar landmark.

Eventually he found a tree that looked vaguely familiar. Walking further he recognized a distinctive rock, then a group of shrubs, and finally, he found himself running down the path that led to his beloved Bunker. He had never been so happy to see an oversized version of his head in his life and fairly whooped with joy as he flung open the door to his sanctuary. The Bunker, though small, was equipped with everything he could ever want or need- from this one location, he could monitor almost everything that happened in the various mansions of Evershade Valley via his multiple cameras. The Bunker was also fitted with various pieces of scientific equipment, perfect for any sort of research or experimentation he could think of. With a contented sigh he pushed the reinforced door closed, effectively sealing himself inside and protecting him from any unwanted spectral guests.

Clasping the crystal to his chest, he shuffled over to the chair in front of his wall of monitors and heaved himself up onto it. He set the crystal down on a bench underneath his chair and examined the multitude of screens, adjusting his glasses as he peered intently at them. The various green monitors depicted seemingly random squiggles and dots that the professor studied, muttering under his breath in astonishment as he interpreted the data.

"These energy readings are off the charts. Paranormal activity has increased 500% across all sectors in the last few hours. What in blazes is going on here….?"

With a few taps of a keyboard, more graphs appeared on the main screen as the professor struggled to make sense of it all. His Parascope, which would have normally been able to pinpoint the exact source of the phantasmal chaos, was proving ineffective against the otherworldly fog. However, he could deduce that the energy spike had begun only recently, around the time the ghosts at the Gloomy Manor had turned feral and before his flight across the foggy plain. The fog…

The professor immediately pulled up a live outside feed of the Bunker and the surrounding plain. It was still enveloped in the mysterious fog, so much so that he could not even make out where the Gloomy Manor should have stood. A quick check of the other cameras revealed the same situation at all of the other mansions throughout the valley. Could this unusual phenomenon have something to do with the new hostile nature of the ghosts? Perplexed, he leaned back in his chair, letting his eyes drift over the wall of information.

Wait. He turned back to the bench underneath the chair where the crystal now lay, still glowing with a faint purple light and crackling with intermittent flashes of energy. The object obviously had some sort of connection to the fog, but he needed to figure out exactly what it was. To do this, he was going to need it analyzed. Luckily, he had built a device capable of this back when he had been conducting research on the rocks surrounding Thwomp Volcano many, many years ago. It had been one of his very first inventions, and he had kept it around mostly for sentimental reasons. Although it was currently being used as a decorative display case, he was sure a little effort and elbow grease could restore it to its former glory.

About ten minutes later, Gadd had made his own prediction come true and now stood in front of a full functioning rock and mineral analyzer, or as he had dubbed it, the Rockin' Analyzer 2000. It was a simple machine consisting only of a glass dome and the stand it rested on, all attached to the main monitor via a mass of cables. Carefully, he lifted the dome, set the crystal inside, and then replaced the dome. Scurrying back into his chair, he typed a few instructions and a soft glow enveloped the crystal, pulsing slowly throughout the small room. He watched in satisfaction as data came streaming into the monitor. Now he could finally get some answers.

A list began to compile itself on the main monitor. Some of the characteristics of the object had been fairly apparent from the start. The rock was in fact a crystalline solid, and it had most of the characteristics any regular crystal would have. However, when it came to other facts that should have been simple to determine, like age, things suddenly got complicated. According to the screen, the age of the crystal currently sitting in the lab ranged from between a couple million to a couple billion years old. Even after running the machine multiple times the results refused to come back any different. And when it came to location of origin, the best answer the machine could offer was a big question mark. Gadd now found himself with more questions than answers and banged his hands against the keyboard in frustration. He had a mysterious crystal that was somehow connected to a cloud of purple mist that was in one way or another responsible for turning the ghosts into enemies and ruining the greatest research opportunity of his life-

That suddenly struck a chord in his mind. What was the reason he had moved here again, his entire motive for going through the hassles of building a new lab and making a new life for himself in a strange location? _To study the pacifying effects the Dark Moon had on the resident ghosts of Evershade Valley. _Resisting the urge to punch something, the professor aimed all of his cameras at the night sky, even going so far as to open the two hatches that made up the "glasses" of the Bunker. Each and every one confirmed the same thing- the Dark Moon was gone. Cursing his own lack of common sense, the professor accepted that the only logical conclusion was to assume that the crystal he found was a fragment of the Dark Moon. No wonder he had experienced déjà vu upon seeing it- he had studied the Dark Moon for literally hours on end before moving to Evershade Valley.

Instead of feeling the typical relief that came with solving a difficult problem, however, the professor found himself growing more and more panicked. He only had one shard of the Dark Moon here, and he assumed that the rest of the pieces must have been scattered throughout the valley somewhere. How, with the hostile ghosts and the impenetrable fog blocking his way, would he be able to retrieve the rest of the pieces? Furthermore, with the Dark Moon's calming effect negated, the ghosts were now free to roam beyond Evershade Valley and wreak havoc anywhere they saw fit.

E. Gadd set his teeth, realizing that he had a full-blown crisis on his hands. His instincts had proved correct earlier- he was going to need a lot of help, and quickly. He cracked his knuckles and got down to work, beginning to research both the lesser-known qualities of the Dark Moon and the whereabouts of a certain green-capped plumber. He had been looking forward to another adventure, but when it rained in Evershade Valley, it sure did pour.

_Two days,_ he thought grimly. _I couldn't even have two days before something went wrong?_

**Author's Note**

This scene came into my mind when the professor was talking about how he had to conduct research to discover that the Dark Moon was gone, when all along I was wondering why he didn't just stick his head out and observe that the whole dang moon had disappeared.

Thanks for reading this long and pretty dry chapter. I _promise_ that there'll be more game scenes next time!

As always, all feedback is appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8- Evershade Valley**

Back in his cottage, Luigi shifted in his chair, scratching his mustache as he dozed. His soft snores and the crackle of a dying fire were suddenly interrupted as the television image at the front of the room changed from its normal "standby" screen to one of flickering static. The sounds of electricity jolting through the device were loud enough to rouse Luigi. Sleepily he pushed up the cap that had fallen down over his eyes and stared uncomprehendingly at the screen. Still in the strange half-asleep stage that comes after waking up from a nap, he stumbled over to the set and blearily eyed it. He had never seen a TV do _this_ before. He had just gotten this set, too. How could it be broken already? Maybe he could fix it, somehow.

As he stood in front of the box, he realized that he had no idea how to even begin going about fixing a TV. However, as the sounds emitting from the set became louder and more garbled he figured he had to do something and reached hesitantly for one of the dials on the box.

"Luigi!"

With a cry Luigi fell over and scrambled backwards, slamming into his chair as he struggled to distance himself from the set and the bizarre face that now filled it. The impact had pushed his hat over his eyes again, and he hastily pushed it back up as he prepared to confront whatever had invaded his TV.

"I need your help, sonny! It's an emergency! The ghosts have gone hostile!"

Fully awake now, Luigi recognized the face as that of Professor E. Gadd, albeit a little distorted due to the extreme close-up. Still somewhat in a state of shock, he could only rub his eyes and stare up at the screen, almost missing the question the professor asked him.

"Ah… What are you doing on the floor?"

Luigi felt heat rush into his face as he quickly rose from his sitting position. Yet another incident where his cowardice had gotten the better of him. Before he could reflect on it too deeply, the professor continued on.

"Never mind that. I'm preparing the Pixelator!"

The gleeful look on the professor's face only served to raise a warning flag in his mind. Luigi had learned over the years that whenever Professor Gadd got excited about something, it typically did not bode well for him in the future. Protesting vehemently, Luigi stepped backwards as he tried to get the professor's attention. Unfortunately for him, Gadd was already typing out the commands as he prepared for what would his Pixelator's fourth time transporting a living organism.

"Hold still, young feller!"

The TV screen became fuzzy again as electricity surged through it, a bright green light filling the dim sitting room. The professor's excited voice was barely decipherable as it became distorted while the Pixelator powered up. Panicking now, Luigi frantically looked for a means of escape from his possessed TV set. Out of options, he began to run away before he suddenly found himself frozen in place. Luigi could only scream in terror as the green light became brighter and he found his body dissolving before his very eyes, the small cubed-shaped pieces flying into the set. Soon enough he felt the last pieces fly away and he entered a state of nonexistence, similar to that of a warp pipe but penetrated by flashes of light and a swirling feeling.

Finally he felt sensation return to him as he was "reassembled," falling and landing in a heap on the floor of wherever he was now. Disoriented and with an acute feeling of nausea, Luigi looked around in terror at his new surroundings. He was in a small room, with a wall of monitors behind him and a bookshelf off to his left. Reigning over this disorganized mess sat a smiling Professor Gadd, obviously pleased that his latest trial had resulted in success rather than a pile of Luigi-colored blocks. As realization of his location set in Luigi released a helpless whimper, a sinking feeling settling into his stomach as he slouched in despair against the cold metallic floor.

The professor practically danced in his chair as he watched Luigi slump below him. He was ecstatic that his Pixelator had been able to flawlessly execute the complex task he had assigned to it- it had been pretty difficult to route the device through a television screen, but he had made it work. After locating Luigi, hacking the TV had been the easy part as he had struggled to turn an electronic meant only for one-way communication into a fully functioning two-way device. Now he beamed down with pride as he admired his handiwork in the form of his trembling, unwilling assistant. Sometimes, he internally gloated, he even managed to shock himself with his own brilliance.

With a resigned sigh, Luigi stood and faced the jubilant professor, waiting for him to explain himself. Unfortunately, even being in the professor's presence caused an unpleasant wash of memories to come over him, and he was unable to stop himself from nervously glancing around every few seconds. Stars above, of all the things that could have happened to him, why did he have to end up in some strange place with this crazy old man? All he had wanted to do today was get some rest. He wrung his hands, glancing around the room for what had to have been the tenth time. Why oh why oh why-

"Greetings Luigi! I knew our paths would cross again."

The professor smiled, genuinely happy to see his young friend for the first time in many years. He paused, waiting for Luigi to give some sort of reaction. Seemingly unaware, Luigi nervously scuffled and looked around yet again. The professor rolled his eyes behind his thick glasses. It seemed some things never changed. Unperturbed, the professor cleared his throat and resumed his spiel.

"You seem a bit tense, son. Relax! We're perfectly safe here in this impenetrable Bunker. Anyhoo, it's been too long, my boy! What have you been up to? I imagine you've been off adventuring with that daredevil brother of yours. Me? Oh, I've just been continuing my research on paranormal happenings and what not. In fact, after our last adventure I became somewhat of an authority in the field!"

As the professor rambled on, Luigi managed to shake his nervousness enough to wonder what he was doing here. Last he had checked, King Boo was still in his portrait and he had not received any mysterious "prizes" lately.

"Professor, what-"

"But enough about that. Let me fill you in on our ghostly predicament!"

Luigi groaned internally, settling in for what he knew would be one of the professor's infamous long-winded speeches.

"See that on the screen? That there is the Dark Moon. It's a mysterious celestial body that has a pacifying effect on all of the ghosts in Evershade Valley."

Luigi glanced at one of the smaller monitors behind him at something that looked suspiciously like a croissant. Still confused about what he was doing here and more than a little hungry, he wearily listened as the professor continued chattering.

"When I heard about it, I jumped at the rare chance to study ghosts in a peaceful environment. It was incredible, my boy! I was doing some of the best research of my long and storied career! That is, until something snapped inside the ghosts and they suddenly got all hostile! It got so bad…"

The professor animatedly related the story of his escape from the manor, his research, and his resulting discovery of the missing moon and the fog. As he expressed his fear of the ghosts leaving the valley, Luigi reluctantly nodded along. Clearly, there was a major problem here. But what could he do about it? He was a plumber, not an astronomist.

"…Worse still, my research will go to waste! We can't let that happen! Now, I've got good news and I've got bad news. Wait here."

Luigi huffed as the professor turned around and began searching his bench for something. Typical Gadd, more worried about his research than the fate of the world.

The professor turned back around, triumphant grin on his face. Luigi eyed the glowing crystal chunk Gadd held warily, wondering if the sparks it gave off were somehow dangerous.

"The good news is that I found a fragment of the Dark Moon nearby! …But the bad news is that I found a fragment of the Dark Moon nearby, meaning the thing's broken. And this Dark Moon piece seems to be corrupted by some sort of energy… I reckon it's a disruptive energy that suppresses the Dark Moon's ability to pacify ghosts! But lucky for us, I've got inventions for all kinds of situations! Stand back, sonny!"

A quick press of one the control sticks on the professor's chair caused a small platform to shoot up out of the floor, dangerously close to hitting Luigi. Originally built as a duster for the many awards Gadd was sure he would win from his Evershade Valley research, he decided it could be repurposed for a short amount of time as a cleaner for the Dark Moon pieces. Ignoring Luigi's startled yelp and jump, he placed the fragment on the record that served as the top of the device. Four brushes extended from the sides of the pedestal and, in a flurry of motion, the Dark Moon piece was cleansed of the energy that had repressed its power. The professor clapped happily as the machine completed its job while Luigi peered into the white cloud that enveloped the crystal. After only a few short moments, the dust cleared and the Dark Moon piece shone with all its former glory. As the platform retracted, the sound of rushing wind caused both the professor and Luigi to look up, and the professor to quickly turn to his monitors to see the results of his experiment.

Adjusting his glasses, Gadd watched in triumph as data once again began to stream through his various systems. Reluctant to take his eyes off the wealth of knowledge he had missed so dearly, he addressed his curious colleague while already beginning to analyze the information.

"Heh heh! I've done it, Luigi! It seems to have regained its original power! And did you hear that wooshing noise outside, youngster? Let me check my instruments."

Another few taps of the keyboard, and the professor turned to Luigi in shock.

"Criminy! All the fog around this Bunker… is gone! Quick! Let's take a look at a map of Evershade Valley."

A map swung down from the ceiling of the Bunker, consisting of little more than a few squiggly lines in a rough shape of Evershade Valley. Near the bottom of the map, the icon that indicated the Bunker's location was suddenly joined by a blinking mansion icon. Luigi stared up at the map, trying to garner what he could from the little information presented to him. Eventually, he gave up, letting the map swing back and allowing the professor to continue his explanation.

"Luigi, do you know what this means? We should be able to reach the Gloomy Manor now! But more importantly, it means that restoring the Dark Moon will solve all our problems! If we find all the Dark Moon pieces, the fog in the valley will vanish and the ghosts will return to normal. But until then, all those ghosts will need to be contained. That's where you come in, Luigi."

Luigi, who had been staring into space while whistling an old tune, suddenly snapped back to attention. He gawked at the professor, his horrified expression mirroring the panic that now surged inside him. He must have misheard. Surely, the professor did not intend to send him into another ghost-infested mansion. He had barely survived the first one. Plus, from what he could figure from the map, there was more than one mansion in this valley. If all of them had now had angry, bloodthirsty ghosts inhabiting them… Luigi, who had calmed down significantly since first arriving in the Bunker, started trembling where he stood.

The professor, noticing this, started weakly trying to convince the cowardly plumber.

"Why, you're the best ghost wrangler I know, son! Coincidentally, you're also the only ghost wrangler I know…"

Realizing this wasn't helping matters, the professor changed topics quickly.

"So what do you say, young feller? Will you help me capture the ghosts and restore the Dark Moon?"

Luigi could barely hear the professor over the sound of his own raging fears. Panic did not begin to describe what he was experiencing. He couldn't handle another mansion, mentally or physically. The bruises he had gotten from ghostly punches and getting dragged around on the floor last time had taken a long time to heal, even with the aid of medicinal mushrooms. This damage, however, was nothing compared to the toll it had taken on his mind. He had had nightmares for weeks, even months, after rescuing Mario. He had woken up screaming night after night after night. He could still vividly remember how haggard his brother's face looked after spending so many nights awake trying to comfort his shaking younger sibling. He couldn't put himself or his brother through that again, now or ever.

So, as he looked at the professor's pleading face, he realized what his answer would have to be. He couldn't be the hero this time, mainly because he was never cut out to be a hero in the first place. Saving Mario was one thing, but this was something different entirely. Let him be a coward- it was safer that way. He took a deep breath, preparing for the disappointment that he knew would be clearly written on the professor's face.

"Professor, I can't-"

"Ho ho! Of course you will! It'll be just like old times!"

Luigi gasped, watching as the professor chuckled merrily to himself and turned back to the main monitor. He suddenly felt sick to his stomach, the nausea that had passed earlier overtaking him once again. Head swimming, he felt the need to sit down as he realized that, willingly or unwillingly, he was going to have to essentially relive one of the most terrifying experiences of his life.

He was going back to the mansion.

**Author's Note**

So, as you can probably tell, I left out quite a bit of dialogue (really monologue) from the game here. This is mainly because it was saying basically what I spent the last chapter going over, so I didn't want to bore you all with a large block of text. I believe this is how the rest of the story will go- if I've already covered something, I'll skip over most of the in-game text. Of course, I may end up going a different way entirely because nothing is set in stone (I originally thought this story was only going to be 30 chapters. Haha.).

However, if the majority of you want me to go through this game word by word, I will happily comply- there are a ton of great lines in this game that are just fun to write. Be aware that it is a _lot_ of text, though!

Thanks again for your continued support!


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